WARNING: The following article contains discussion of sexual assault and domestic abuse.
The body-swap has long been a classical plot device in anime and across all fictional media. From Cage and Travolta’s laugh-out-loud appearance in Face Off to Makoto Shinkai’s now-iconic Your Name, this trope has taken on a variety of forms and has become a staple when it comes to creating comedic and off-the-wall situations.
While 2012's Kokoro Connect did not invent the body-swapping story, it was one of the first to use it within the anime medium and arguably offers a fresher take than many of its more recent counterparts. Although the series includes humorous moments, it manages to take a more serious and introspective look at what this strange phenomenon might result in.
Kokoro Connect follows the lives of five high school students -- Taichi, Lori, Himeko, Yoshifumi and Yui -- who are the only members of the Student Cultural Research Club, a society they built after each of them were unable to fit into any of the pre-established groups within their school. Shortly after the characters are introduced, they begin to face a supernatural, sense-altering phenomena that causes them to sporadically enter each other's bodies throughout the course of each day.
Through the first few episodes, the quintet cannot understand why this abnormal experience is happening to them and there appears to be no logical explanation. However, they are soon introduced to a cryptic entity that refers to itself as “Heartseed,” seemingly intent on using this ordeal to test the kids for an unknown goal.
Although many stories simply use the body swap trope as a method for creating cheap gags or to offer viewers an oversimplified message about life, Kokoro Connect has implemented this plot device to deeply explore its characters' inner lives and their psychological scars. At its core it is a slice-of-life series that examines what it means to be a person and the components this comprises -- whether it’s mind, body or spirit.
Trust is an important recurring element throughout Kokoro Connect, in which the friends must learn to understand each other's differences. While this begins with something as simple as setting the ground rules for the boys when they take control of the girls' bodies, it later develops into more detailed character analysis.
As the characters continue to experience what it's like to walk in each other's shoes, they begin to open up and discuss their deepest secrets. Kokoro Connect explores a range of difficult and emotionally impactful topics, from Yui’s androphobia (a fear of men) that has stemmed from an attempted rape experience, to Lori’s experience of domestic abuse and broken family relationships. Each of these moments is handled delicately and dutifully, never clouded by any inappropriate antics that might diminish the seriousness of the ideas being discussed.
However, light-hearted relief is by no means absent from the show, even in these darker moments. Whether it’s from Taichi kicking himself in his nether regions to demonstrate how Yui can defend herself or the revelation of his darkest sexual secret to help Himeko with her trust issues, there are quite a few laughs to be had.
Yasuhiro Misawa’s accompanying score is a standout feature of the series, and a beautiful addition to the more touching moments that can be found throughout. The blend of intermittent piano and strings adds a distinctive charm and calming air to the otherwise chaotic occurrences many of the show’s characters experience.
While Kokoro Connect is unlikely to be for everyone, particularly due to its rather slow pace, it is a must-watch for anyone with an interest in body-swapping or high school slice-of-life dramas. The characters remain interesting throughout the story, while the relationships they have and continue to develop are certainly entertaining to watch. The series offers an introspective look at what it means to be a person, the significance of identity and the importance of trust -- all of which are refreshing changes from the typical action-packed genres that are so often consumed.
